"It's no fun waking up the next day after you've lost a final," he said. "We've
experienced that and it's a big motivating factor for us this time around.

"The disappointments we've felt in the past will spur us on against Biarritz.

"We've often talked about how the fear of losing has driven us on at Thomond Park.

"The fear of waking up after a European Cup final with another silver medal is a big driving force for this side."

Our goal has never been to reach the final, it is to lift the trophy

Biarritz captain Thomas Lievremont

Munster know what to expect having lost 19-10 to Biarritz - "a bloody-minded side and a major obstacle" according to Foley - in San Sebastian in the quarter-finals last year.

The Basques have plenty of firepower in their backline but have adopted a conservative approach in their victories over Sale and Bath in the knock-out stages, a strategy unlikely to change on Saturday.

"We beat them last season but we know Munster are a really strong team," said Biarritz captain Thomas Lievremont, the France number eight.

"They were very impressive in the semi-finals against Leinster and we know we are going to face a wall; it is a really frightening team.

"They are enormously strong up front, have a strong defence and half-backs who know their rugby inside out.

"But our goal has never been just to reach the final. It has always been to lift the trophy."